President Donald Trump’s move to replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem aligns with the views of a majority of the American public, according to recent polling data. CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten reported Friday that 58% of Americans supported Noem’s removal from office, a sentiment shared by 62% of independent voters.
The transition, announced Thursday, will see Noem conclude her role on March 31, with Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin set to take over the department. Enten noted that the decision follows a significant slide in approval regarding the administration’s handling of immigration, a cornerstone of the 2024 campaign.
While the president began his second term in January 2025 with a +7 point approval rating on the issue, that figure dropped to -17 points by March 2026.
“She was a political nightmare for the president of the United States,” Enten said, citing a Quinnipiac University poll from February. “Donald Trump here [was] making the politically popular move because Americans were simply put sick of Kristi Noem.”
The shift in public opinion followed several controversies during Noem’s tenure, including her response to the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis and a Tuesday hearing where she claimed the president approved a $220 million advertising campaign. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana stated that Trump was “mad as a murder hornet” after the testimony, later telling Kennedy he had no knowledge of the ad buy.
Further reports from the Wall Street Journal highlighted internal friction within the agency, involving frequent staff dismissals and mandatory polygraph tests for employees.
Rumors regarding a relationship between Noem and her senior adviser, Corey Lewandowski, also circulated, which reportedly influenced the president’s decision-making regarding her staff.
While exiting her cabinet post, Noem is expected to remain in the administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed she will transition to a role as the special envoy for The Shield of the Americas.
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